Editing Golden Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Golden Township, Michigan
| settlement_type = [[Township (United States)|Township]]
| image_skyline = Little Sable Lighthouse at Sunset.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_caption = [[Little Sable Point Light]]
| image_flag = 
| image_seal = <!-- Maps -->
| nickname = 
| motto = <!-- Images -->
| image_map = 
| mapsize = 
| map_caption = 
| image_map1 = 
| mapsize1 = 
| map_caption1 = <!-- Location -->
| pushpin_map = Michigan#USA
| pushpin_label_position = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_mapsize = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan
| coordinates = {{coord|43|40|42|N|86|27|57|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{Flagu|United States}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
| subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|Michigan}}
| subdivision_name2 = [[Oceana County, Michigan|Oceana]]

<!-- Government -->| established_title = 
| established_date = <!-- Area -->
| government_footnotes = 
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| leader_title = 
| leader_name = 
| leader_title1 = 
| leader_name1 = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = 
| area_magnitude = 
| area_total_km2 = 90.6
| area_total_sq_mi = 35.0
| area_land_km2 = 86.9
| area_land_sq_mi = 33.5
| area_water_km2 = 3.8
| area_water_sq_mi = 1.5

<!-- Population -->| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m = 239
| elevation_ft = 784
| population_total = 1660
| population_as_of = [[United States Census, 2020|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_density_km2 = 19.2
| population_density_sq_mi = 49.8

<!-- General information -->| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code = 49420 ([[Hart, Michigan|Hart]],<br />49436 (Mears),<br />49449 ([[Pentwater, Michigan|Pentwater]]),<br />49455 ([[Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan|Shelby]])
| area_code = 
| website = 
| footnotes = |
| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = -5
| timezone_DST = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = -4
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 26-32780<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 1626361<ref>{{gnis|1626361}}</ref>
}}
'''Golden Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Oceana County, Michigan|Oceana County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 1,660 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. The township is home to the [[Silver Lake State Park (Michigan)|Silver Lake Sand Dunes]], and is located along the shore of [[Lake Michigan]].

Golden Township was established in 1864.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=228}}

==Communities==
*'''Collinsville''' was an unincorporated community that grew up around a sawmill.  It had a post office from 1872 until 1874.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=126}}
* [[Mears, Michigan|Mears]] is an [[unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] in the eastern part of the township at {{Coord|43|40|55|N|86|25|11|W|}}.<ref>{{gnis|632061|Mears. Michigan}}</ref>  The community was founded by mill owner Charles Mears in 1873. A post office opened in May 1873.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=}} The Mears [[ZIP code]], 49436, includes most of Golden Township as well as small areas of [[Pentwater Township, Michigan|Pentwater Township]] to the north, [[Hart Township, Michigan|Hart Township]] to the east, and [[Benona Township, Michigan|Benona Township]] to the south.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US49436&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 49436 5-Digit ZCTA, 494 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder]{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref>
* [[Hart, Michigan|Hart]] is located to the east, and a small area in the northeast part of the township is served by the Hart ZIP code, 49420.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US49420&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 49420 5-Digit ZCTA, 494 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder]{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref>
*[[Pentwater, Michigan|Pentwater]] is located to the north, and a small area in the northeast part of the township is served by the Pentwater ZIP code, 49449.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US49449&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 49449 5-Digit ZCTA, 494 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder]{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref>
* Upper Silver Lake Improvement Association is a homeowners association comprising over 600 parcels in and around the Upper Silver Lake Area http://www.uslia.org
*[[Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan|Shelby]] is to the southeast, and small areas in the southeast and southwest corners of the township are served by the Shelby ZIP code, 49455.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US49455&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 49455 5-Digit ZCTA, 494 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|35.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|33.5|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|1.5|sqmi|km2}} of it (4.14%) is water.

The township is bounded on the west by [[Lake Michigan]]. A portion of the Lake Michigan shoreline and adjacent land is taken up by [[Silver Lake State Park (Michigan)|Silver Lake State Park]].

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,810 people, 712 households, and 533 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|54.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,203 housing units at an average density of {{convert|65.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 89.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.39% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.94% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 6.69% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.99% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 11.05% of the population.

There were 712 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $35,878, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $32,321 versus $20,721 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $17,934.  About 9.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

== Recreation and tourism ==
Golden Township is home to many lakes, streams, and rivers. One of largest lakes in the area is Silver Lake. Silver Lake is a semi-circular lake with one side bordering the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Silver Lake is an all sports lake where many people go [[kayaking]], [[canoeing]], boating, [[sailing]], [[water skiing]], [[wakeboarding]], and more.

Silver Lake has a largely seasonal population due to its vast number of [[campgrounds]], cottages, and summer homes.

The [[Dune|Sand Dunes]] are a state park and consist of a pedestrian area for hikers and visitors as well as a vehicle recreation area where [[dune buggies]] can drive up and down the hills. The Sand Dunes western border is [[Lake Michigan]].

== See also ==
* ''[[The Mears Newz]]''

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |first1=Walter |last1=Romig |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |series=Great Lakes Books Series |type=Paperback  |orig-year= 1973 |date=October 1, 1986 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |isbn=081431838X |location=Detroit, Michigan |id={{ISBN|978-0814318386}} }}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.thinkdunes.com/ Silver Lake Sand Dune Area Chamber of Commerce]

{{Oceana County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Oceana County, Michigan]]
[[Category:1864 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]